Waffles and confections make a play at the studio cafe

>> BACK TO MAIN PAGE By Viktor Chong viktorchong@thestar.com.my Munching Mob Cafe A s the first studio cafe in Arked Esplanade, Munching Mob Cafe founder Sien Mar Vin brings about an exciting combo of dance and cooking under one roof.

An autodidact like his sister, Sien Mar Vin has no formal education in culinary arts, but his recipes and cooking style allows his cafe to stand toe to toe against other eateries, most of the time performing much better than them.

Munching Mob founder Sien Pei Nee, together with her brother learned cooking from the internet as well as through trial and error.

“We improved ourselves from the feedback of our customers,” said Sien Pei Nee, adding that their upgraded Wazzup 2.0 now has a thicker cheese topping due to the suggestion from the masses.

The floor tiles of the cafe also reflect their passion as dancers with a half star pattern, representing the dance stage.

Sien Pei Nee pointed to the top where a couple of brightly lit bulbs hung at the ceiling, saying that those bulbs represented the dreams of the ordinary people and that they could achieve anything.

Even more unique is the fact that the cafe is integrated with the dance studio which is located right at the top of it.

Sien Mar Vin said that the dancers would hang out and “chill” at the cafe, enjoying a nice meal after their training.

Cooking runs in the blood of the Sien family as well.

Every Sunday, their mother will make a special appearance for the customers, cooking some of her unique Chinese dishes such as the Ayam Pong Teh and Asam Fish.

“Most importantly, we enjoy what we do as all our close friends and buddies are running this cafe,” Sien Mar Vin said with a smile on his face.

He also shared his love for the people of Bukit Jalil, noting their charming and friendly personality.

Rate Eat! Wazzap 2.0 With a thick layer of aromatic cheese as a topping, the Wazzap 2.0 features well-fried chicken meat with waffles.

The tomato sauce makes a good company for the fries with its tangy taste.

A helpful side of luscious greens is also provided to aid you in downing this cheesy chunk of meat.

Top pork, down dog The large sausage makes for a succulent treat, and this is further enhanced by the smoothly textured omelette at the centre.

The dainty pancakes, on the other hand, yield softly to the bite.

Cream~ish The vegetarian pasta dish is delightfully creamy and flavourful.

The fried mushrooms, however, are too salty to be eaten on their own, but when taken together with the pasta, the saltiness goes down a notch.

The Healthy Bowl It certainly lives up to its name.

The fruits are served fresh topping the rolled oats and muesli.

The combination of muesli, oats, chia seeds, honey, milk, berries and fruits also make for a rejuvenating and filling treat.

Certainly, a healthy breakfast to start the morning.

Loco Local This wicked combination of caramelised banana, ice cream and pancake is something no one should miss.

Garnished with coconut flakes, this dessert avoids the pitfall that others have made; being too sweet.

The flavour of the banana and pancake isn’t being overpowered by the ice cream and it makes for a good and light finishing.

Red Dope Devil The Red Dope Devil is both pleasing to the eyes and the stomach.

The waffles are crisp and fragrant with a light strawberry flavour.

Combined with the chocolate sprinkles and vanilla ice cream, it is certainly a special dessert.

Nutty & Milky Pour the jug of fresh milk into the glass and watch as the cubes of frozen Nutella melts, turning it into a delicious chocolate drink.

Surprisingly, the beverage is not too sweet and not too milky.

The texture is somewhere between a smoothie and chocolate milk, making it a suitable drink to sip while you relax and unwind.

Matchafee and Ms.

Coco Grey The Matchafee is composed of coffee with green tea while the Ms.

Coco Grey is made of Earl Grey tea and cocoa.

These rare combinations are yet again, a testimony to Munching Mob’s creativity.

The Matchafee has a bitter yet purified feel.

Meanwhile, the Ms.

Coco Grey is fragrant with a slight chocolate taste that will curl your toes.